The basic premise of this book is that there is no one ingredient to longevity. Aging is inevitable, as there is no ‘brake’ for slowing it down. The name of the game is to keep from pushing the accelerator pedal so hard that we speed up the aging process. The average American, however, by living a fast and furious lifestyle, pushes that accelerator too hard and too much.

This book is about discovering the world’s best practices in health and longevity and putting them to work in our lives. Most of us have more control in how long we live than we think. In fact, experts say that if we adopt the right lifestyle, we could add at least 10 good years and suffer a fraction of the diseases that kill us prematurely.

Accordingly Dan Buettner traveled the world with a team of scientists and researchers and identified the four places (Blue Zones) that had the highest concentrations of centarians (people living past the age of 100), to meet them and learn from them, and in doing so identified 9 lessons that were consistently found within the lifestyles of the oldest people on earth.

Snack on Nuts– Adventists who consume nuts five times per week have about half the risk of heart disease and live about two years longer than those who don’t

Give Something Back– Volunteer and focus on others

Eat Meat in Moderation– Try using meat as a side dish instead of a main meal

Eat an Early, Light Dinner– Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper

Put More Plants in Your Diet– Adventist who ate legumes such as peas and beans three times per week had a 30 to 40 percent reduction in colon cancer. Adventist women who consumed tomatoes at least 3 or 4 times per week reduced their chance of getting ovarian cancer by 70 percent over those who ate tomatoes less often

Drink Lots of Water– Drinking 5 or 6 daily glasses of water reduces the chances of having a fatal heart attack by 60 to 70 percent compared to those who drank considerably less

Costa Rica Lessons

Have a Plan de Vida – Have a strong sense of purpose

Drink Hard Water– Calcium reduces heart disease and stronger bones

Keep a Focus on Family– Provides a sense of purpose and belonging

Eat a Light Dinner– The earlier the better

Maintain Social Networks– Frequently visit neighbors. Listen, laugh, and appreciate what you have

Keep Hard at Work– Enjoy physical work in your daily chores

Get Some Sensible Sun– Vitamin D fights against osteoporosis and heart disease

Embrace a Common History – Traditions and traditional diets of maize and beans

Make Snacking A Hassle– Avoid purchasing tempting foods. Hide them if you have them

Buy Smaller Packages– People consume 23% more food than needed when larger portions are available

Give Yourself a Daily Reminder– Buy a scale and check it daily

Eat More Slowly– Learn to recognize when you are 80% full and stop

Focus on Food– No distractions like TV or computers that facilitate mindless eating. If you are hungry, stop and eat a meal

Have a Seat– Eat purposefully, not on the go

Eat Early– The biggest meal of the day should be eaten in the first half of the day. Reduces snacking urges and provides needed calories for more active hours

Lesson #3 – Avoid Meats & Processed Foods

Four to Six Vegetable Servings Daily– At least two vegetable servings per meal

Limit Intake of Meat– Limit servings to twice a week and no larger than a deck of cards

Showcase Fruits & Vegetables– Put a plentiful fruit bowl in the middle of your kitchen with a note in the bottom that says ‘fill me’. Instead of hiding vegetables in the refrigerator compartment that says ‘produce’ put them front and center

Reduce the Noise– Get rid of as many, or better yet all, TV’s and Radios you can. If you have them, keep them in one room only

Be Early– Being 15 minutes early gives you time to rest and prepare for appointments or events

Meditate– Create a clam and comfortable space in your home, and include meditation into your daily routine for at least 10 minutes

Lesson #7 – Belong

Be More Involved– Take a more active role in organizations you have an interest in

Explore a New Tradition– A new religious faith or belief group

Just Go– Plan one hour per week for eight weeks of religious services

Lesson #8 – Loved Ones First

Get Closer– Consider a smaller home to create an environment of togetherness. Large spread out homes segment family members. If you must have a large home, establish a family room

Establish Rituals– Children thrive on rituals & enjoy repetition. Make one meal a day sacred, establish a tradition for a family vacation, have dinner with grandma every Tuesday night, and purposefully celebrate holidays

Create a Family Shrine– Pick a wall and hang lots of pictures

Put Family First– Invest time and energy into your children, play with them. nurture your marriage and your spouse and honor your parents

Lesson #9 – The Right Tribe

Identify Your Inner Circle– Know the people who reinforce the right habits and who you can rely on in case of need. Look through your contact list and notate them. Family members should be first on the list

Be Likeable– Don’t be a grump. Have frequent visitors and real social networks

Create Time Together– Spend at least 30 minutes a day with members of your inner circle. Share a meal or take a walk together. Building a strong friendship requires some effort, but it is an investment that can pay back handsomely in added years

As you can see, there are some common themes among the blue zones, and at their core, they are all simple and logical steps to living a full and healthy life.

What is Best Book Bits you ask? Simply put we take a book, read it, study it, find the best book bits, the golden nuggets and present them in this presentation. I believe this is the Fastest & Easiest way on the Planet to get the information you need in the shortest amount of time